In this game we started with Luke S at left back to replace Dan who was delayed in traffic with Joe H moving into central defensive midfield . The latter is really starting to show his worth and has evidenced what a good footballer he is keeping the game neat and tidy whilst accclimatising himself to the faster pace , higher intensity game of top quality U16 football .Once again thankfully The Reds started the game really well with 3 identical strikes from Marcus which the keeper saved at the near post , Lewis going close and Oisin doing what was asked of central midfield in supporting attack when Marcus moves from the centre . Oisin is a perfect example of a footballer who takes on board what is asked of him for the sake of the team .A real gem and man of the match again with an imperious performance .After this when really we should have again been at least two up The Reds gave Astley the easiest of chances with them taking advantage of space down the left and the centre forward who is a real handful should have put them in the lead but for a last gasp tackle from Rob .This was also partly caused by our lack of talking and centrally defensively at times playing too deep and not pushing out to leave the centre forward offside .The Reds deservedly took the lead when Marcus headed in a corner from Oisin but as we knew from last week 1-0 is never enough .The half time team talk was made by Dan who totally agrees with this having seen it first hand himself gaining a greater understanding of what myself and Darren are trying to say .The second half was a game of two penalties which both sides miss but it has to be said what a great save Marks was low to his left .We picked up two more yellow cards , one for a last ditch foul off Joel and the second probably for persistent fouls from Rob and these are cards that as a coach you really do not mind apart from the cost .Great to get our first League win when our football overall has been so much better than score lines suggest to add to or two cup wins to date .Next week an early KO 10am V Manchester Macaabi when hopefully we can get our shooting boots on again in the Challenge Cup .

In a game where we should have been at least 3-0 up at half time , gave away two easy goals, had two red cards and one yellow (The opposition also had two red cards ) it was not a good day .The game started really brightly for The Reds with only one team in it and we were dominant in chances and possession , with Oisin playing in Lewis and Morgan beautifully but both chances went begging and then Lewis had another fine chance which was not taken .Marcus then finished nicely from the corner of the box slipping it under the advancing keeper to make our dominance count and you really did think we were going to roll them over .He then had another chance which was a great effort but came off the post and rolled along the line .For sure if we had got another it would have been game over as Whitworth Park were being outplayed as they were predominantly in our last game last weekend .But the game is never over whilst 1-0 .Then typical of ourselves at times a spare orange shirt was not picked up due to a total lack of communication, ownership and leadership on the pitch and they undeservedly equalised and to make matters worse they went in at half time with a 2-1 lead . They must have thought it was Christmas !!I can only ask the back 6 to take a close look at themselves from a team perspective in allowing spare orange shirts particularly in the last third . They must take this blame collectively to eradicate this from our game as it costs us time and again when we are in control of a game .In the second half I still cannot remember Whitworth Park having any chances and yet again we had 2 or 3 really good efforts to change the game Marcus having a great effort well saved and pushed onto the cross bar and Mason blazing over when it required a cool head , and we had a couple of free kicks on target .Then the fun started with 10 minutes to go with a dreadful Whitworth Park tackle which should have been a quick red card and advantage Unsworth but where cool heads were needed the referee who has taken charge of us many times before and refereed superbly was not quite quick enough and that is not a criticism . I can honestly say the referees job is the hardest , I have taken charge a number of times , and parents should refrain from having a go at officials, even when they get it wrong , that is the job of the coaches alone .The fact is he saw two of our lads with arms raised as he did with their lads , and if our lads had kept a cool head we would have had a one man advantage but it was not to be as he also sent off one of their lads and one of their substitutes to leave them with the one man advantage . A sign of how difficult a job it is , is that I saw only the initial challenge which was a red card challenge .We are the only losers in the end as the red cards mean three match bans and £20 or £30 fines for Joel and Dan .The referees report is the only report that counts in the end . They will not rescind those red cards on the basis of some provocation through the match from the Whitworth lads . We have to stand up to them and channel those energies in the tackle when we have the opportunity not going down to their level and retaliating with arms raised .There is no place for this in sport and this is a message I gave to our lads and to the lads of Whitworth Park at the whistle .Who would ever be a referee , I would also ask myself as David who has refereed us many times had a really difficult time in the melee that ensued making decisions in the spur of the moment and with only one viewpoint not having the benefit of linesmen to help .The bottom line is we should never have lost this match as we dominated for the majority of the game .A big sorry to Joe who I was bringing on for Dan just before the nonsense started .

In a Challenge Cup game away to a very strong Astley & Tyldesley we lost Joe H and Lewis with sickness from the starting line up and Morgan and Josh were out also .We were asleep from the start and within 20 minutes found ourselves 3-0 down and were in fact 1-0 down after 30 seconds and 2-0 after 5 minutes Half time involved a severe rollicking asking the players to show some balls , win their 1st and 2nd challenges and generally take a leaf out of Oisins book who was our one shining light in the first half . That they did in abundance in the second half Marcus scoring his first very soon after the restart and soon after his second from the penalty spot .

We were right in the game now and the third involved Rowie finding Marcus down the left and the former made it 3-3 to the crowds delight. Then from a free kick Joel picked up the pieces to send the Reds into ecstasy and to crown a glorious second half Rowie picked the ball up ran at the defence and curled a beauty left to right into the top corner .

A game of two halves for sure and next game we must take this second half performance into the start of the game . We need to believe in our own game and be braver in our own ability .This performance was undoubtedly our best comeback ever against strong opposition and we have had a few over the years .

Playing Whitworth Park without Mase , Rowie , Josh and Joe the tempo of our game was superb from the start .The work rate on a very hot day was exemplary learning from last weeks game .This work did deserve a goal and a lead but both our best chances fell to Rob who went close on both occasions .The highlight for me was the wizardry and partnership of Marcus and Lewis creating many an opening going forwards .The deserved goal in the second half found Lewis on the right side , Joe overlapped to create a chance for Lewis to get the ball in the danger area . Their keeper missed the cross and Marcus working hard alone up front finished nicely to the delight of the lads .Not to be outdone Whitworth Park equalised with a few minutes remaining of what was a super game to watch .What probably beat us in the end was a lack of subs with Joe and Dan tiring like most of the lads and without the freshness to bring on .Man of the match for me was Morgan due to his work rate today a quality at times which is needed to show his undoubted ability on the ball . All the lads however worked like Trojans and deserve a massive pat on the back .

In a competition we have done well in over the last few years we played a team from The Timperley League without Morgan , Ethan or Rowie .We were looking to get the season up and running knowing we must win more of our individual battles across the pitch , be more competitive in the challenge and communicate better on the pitch .The lads thankfully were up for it from the start and the team had Joe H at left back , Josh in right midfield and Oisin left midfield . Right from the start the simplicity of our play was much better than in previous weeks Josh showing a good example of playing with his back to goal protecting the ball and waiting for the runs particularly from Devan overlapping before passing neatly .This was happening right across the pitch and in the centre of midfield Jack and Marcus were pulling the strings , the back six now look far more comfortable on the ball than last season using the spare man and keeper wisely to retain the ball . They are now starting moves from the back by finding a midfielder in space rather than long clearances and losing the ball .Despite having numerous chances we lead only 1-0 at half time with Oisin finding Marcus who fired home neatly in what was a great half only our finishing letting us down . It looked like only a mistake by us or perhaps a set piece might give them a foothold in the game and it is really important that our tall players defend in the danger areas on these occasions .The second half was a joy with Mason playing right midfield slipping in Oisin who made it 2-0 , Lewis smashing in the third . Then a beauty for me with Joel braver then everyone else smashing a corner from Lewis into the roof of the net for our fourth with his head .Marcus playing in centre midfield still manages to score the goals he gets out wide when he drifted into the box , got on the end of a ball from Luke S now playing at left back and kept his usual cool head to place he ball into the back of the net to score his second and complete the scoring at 5-0 .Though we scored five there must also be a pat on the back for our back six keeping a clean sheet and definitely improving collectively trying to play football at all times .Next week sees us away to Astley & Tyldesley in the league against a new team who have started well in the League .